


Cold Read

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Development, Character Study, Missing Scene, Movie: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Multi, Sherlock Scan, of a sort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25650922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben/Kylo’s readings of people.
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey
Kudos: 3
Collections: The Darkpilot Library





	Cold Read

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Call this a Ben/Kylo headcanon I have. As for the first chapter, maybe I’m taking slight liberties with TLJ’s timeline, but I think if there had been a scene like this in TLJ, it would have made Rey’s change of heart more believable.

“Your parents threw you away like garbage.”

There’s the core of it. It isn’t just how she’s radiating in the Force, the snippets of images he’s seeing about a girl of five being led away from a fleeing spaceship by a Crolute. It’s the way she sounds — the fact that this scavenger is pushing the issue even though she didn’t even know Han Solo. Not like Kylo did — like, Kylo notes with distaste, Ben did. She gets attached easily, doesn’t she, presuming to have bonds with people even if she’s known them for, what, a few minutes?

She’s an usurper. What does Skywalker see in her, that he would throw out his own nephew like he was nothing? What’s so special about her? The girl who’s a prodigy, who never had to work to hone her skills, or doubt herself, who people instantly accepted even though they’ve known her for a few minutes. (Except Skywalker, and Skywalker’s just pathetic)

What do people see in her? This girl from nowhere, from nothing. No doubt being praised for simply existing, as opposed to doing anything extraordinary. Thinking she’s more invaluable to people than she really is.

”They didn’t,” she hisses. Honestly, is this wretched girl stupid? In denial? Both? How can she be skilled in the Force without training and be unable to face the fact that she was unwanted?

”They did,” Kylo says. “And you can’t stop needing them. Looking for them everywhere, in Han Solo, in Luke Skywalker." He can’t really say anything bad about Han Solo, in the end. 

(Somehow, Han Solo has forgiven him. Kylo knows why, but he can’t accept it)

Skywalker, on the other hand...

It’s not exactly why he killed Han, Kylo will say that. It’s better, though, than admitting that he wanted to be free of his demons and he couldn’t even get that right. 

***

”We didn’t finish our discussion from last time,” the girl says the next morning, when they reconnect via the Force. Kylo can’t help but think of those hologram chats with Poe; then again, this girl is both sharper and less refined than Poe. Poe was snarky, but even on Tuanul and the Finalizer, Kylo never got the impression he was intending to wound with his barbs. And the girl’s openness — it’s like a less refined, more in-progress version of Poe's compassion. She’s working on it. She’s not heartless, not saintly — she's in the middle. 

”So you’re going to be civil for a change?” Kylo says. “Are you trying to get something you want?”

The scavenger sighs. “You’re not wrong.” Then, “I suppose I’m trying to fill in the blanks. You say Luke tried to kill you.”

”He did.” 

Rey continues. “Working from that premise, why would you burn down his Academy in retaliation? I’m afraid the events don’t add up.”

He doesn’t know why he wants to convince her. Maybe he wants to hurt her — hurt her enough for her to wake up and realize Skywalker’s not a god. Maybe he wants someone to tell — the galaxy feels like a lonely, yawning chasm, endless, all-encompassing.

”I didn’t burn down the Academy.”

”You said you destroyed Luke’s Temple. Wait.” A furrow between her brows. “You feel guilty about it? Even though...”

”Something else did it.”

”Something?” Rey says. 

”Yes, something. There was a storm. I still don’t know if something...exploded out of me; I’d heard stories in the past of Jedi not being able to control their powers, of it being destructive. Of terrible things happening as a result of trauma, upheaval — Force devouring abominations. And I don’t know what happened, but the storm happened. The only Jedi who survived were off-world or in Skywalker’s case, incapacitated.” A beat. “I...Ben Solo good as killed them. He was too weak to save any of them and when he made attempts to, he only made things worse. That was one reason he had to die.”

The scavenger actually looks stricken — uncertain how to react. “And you became something else.”

”Something else, yes.” 

Rey furrows her brows again. “You’re haunted,” she says. “What you did to your father, your childhood friend...it’s killing you.”

Well, he’d never said that she didn’t learn quickly, he supposes. “You...are correct.” He’ll give her this much. 

Rey swallows. It’s clear she’s struggling as to what to think. Then, “The Temple wasn’t your fault at least...Ben.”

”That name was never a name I wanted.”

“And Kylo?" 

Kylo pauses. It dawns on him that he doesn’t know what he wants.

He’s relieved this time when the Bond cuts off.


End file.
